Dueling Loyalties
by Mavynn
Summary: Cassandra's parents have moved her to Europe against her will. She will not be going to school with her friends from grade school she will start first year at Hogwarts. She is winding up for a temper tantrum to beat all temper tantrums. Originally a collection of shorts now completely re-written to give Cassandra the story she deserves.
1. School Shopping

My first real day out in Wizarding London was to shop for school supplies. I was not a happy little witch.

Something immediately observed by my ever diligent mother. She is quite the worrier when it comes to me.

"Cassandra Elsbeth Taylor, if you keep pulling that face you are going to be a wrinkled old prune before you are fifteen years of age young lady!" Mommy said this quite firmly.

Cassandra Elsbeth Taylor. That is me. My mother's name is Elsbeth so I got that for my middle name. When Mommy uses all three names she is serious. While some parents may warn their children their faces will stay frozen that way, my mother preferred realism. She was obsessed with me keeping my looks. I am not sure what is so special about my looks that I should want them. I am pretty plain. I have a dark auburn hair, green eyes and my body has absolutely _not_ blossomed. But I am only twelve so I guess there is plenty of time for that.

I tried hard to make my face neutral, or maybe neutrally annoyed would be a better description.

I was really nervous about walking into this scary store with boxes everywhere. They looked like they were going to all going to fall down and crush me. I did not want to be here. Not just in this store, but on this street, in this city in this country. I wanted to go home. I wanted to get my wand at my school like all of my friends from grade school were going to.

Except I would not be going to Ilvermorny. I was going to Hogwarts. Daddy got transferred to the Ministry here and that was that. No one asked me if I wanted to get transferred. They just packed me up and hauled me off to a place where everyone talked funny and all of my friends were across an ocean and I would never get to see them again.

Mommy kept telling me how lucky I was. How wonderful our new life would be. I just thought I would be lucky to escape this store without having boxes fall and crush me and how wonderful it would be not to be killed at 12 years old by wand boxes.

I was just getting ready to begin one of my world famous temper tantrums. Loud enough and obnoxious enough to guarantee me a restriction from all privileges until I was 35 years of age. I was very very good at embarrassing my parents in public.

I was stopped by the entrance of the shop owner who suddenly appeared. He was the oldest wizard I had ever seen and he was looking at me from behind the counter. He didn't seem so bad. He even smiled at me.

"You must be Cassandra Taylor" he said kindly, "come closer, don't be shy."

Deciding the area near his counter looked a little clearer of boxes I ventured closer and looked all the way up at him. He patted my hand "I will bring out a few wands and we will see which one chooses you."

I didn't know what he meant "Which one chooses me?"

"Which wand. Wands choose the witch." I giggled at the pun 'which wand and witch wand'. He seemed to understand and his smile grew wider.

I liked him. Maybe this place wouldn't be _so_ bad. But it still wasn't home and it never would be!

He brought out a wand instructing me to give it a wave. Nothing happened. "Not this one then." The next showered him with water "Definitely not."

After six more wands we finally found just the right one. A beautiful almost white wood. Mr. Olivander, I had learned this was the wand maker's name, informed me this was the preferred wood for those destined to be great and powerful duelists. I could imagine facing off against an enemy spells blazing back and forth trying to take the other one down. Listening to this Mommy reminded me just a few minutes ago I was worried about being crushed to death now I was cheerfully plotting to take down enemies.

Mr. Ollivander and I shared a secret smile.

"Mommy, being crushed to death by boxes would be … just undignified (I had learned this word from a book I read over the summer and was pleased to find a reason to show it off). Dueling an enemy is… well… it is…"

"Dignified?" supplied Daddy

"Exactly!" I cried.

"Do not encourage her Christopher Taylor." Oooh full names, Daddy was in trouble.

It also had a dragon heartstring core, he assured me this was a very powerful material. I left the shop feeling much better than I had when I had entered.

Maybe I would hold my world famous tantrum until later. Right now we were heading to a pet shop and Mommy promised me a pet to take to school.

Definitely later. But as soon as I had what I needed from this day my parents were going to pay for dragging me here... Mark my words.

When we made it to the pet store I was amazed at the different creatures they had here. It made our simple bullfrogs and hamsters look pretty tame by comparison.

The whole place was filled from top to bottom with squeaking, squawking, croaking and creaking animals. And there was plenty of room left over for stuff for taking care of those animals.

An elderly witch behind the counter was explaining to a young boy why having a kelpie as a pet was unrealistic. It would be difficult to train. There would be a lot of running off intermixed with attempts to drown the would be owner. "And what is more," the witch continued, they are not known to shape change just to keep pubescent boys entertained."

At this the furiously blushing boy quickly left the shop.

As soon as he was gone I paid no more thought to him. I was far too busy looking around at everything I could take in at a glance in the shop.

There were so many strange and beautiful animals! A jewel encrusted tortoise, purple toads, a firecrab, poisonous orange snails, a fat white rabbit that can turn into a silk top hat, cats of every color, ravens, puffskeins, and a cage of sleek black rats that play skipping games with their tails.

There were also the average run of the mill animals, magical cats and ravens, pygmy puffs.

I was trying to decide on what I wanted. A cat? Too average. Raven? Too messy. Jewel Tortoise? (NO my father chimed in immediately). Too expensive I sighed.

In a single cage by herself was a beautiful dark brown ferret with a slightly pinkish face. The counter clerk told me that the coloring was known as "peach faced". She looked so mischievous and fun that I couldn't help but be drawn to her right away.

After getting permission I gently took her from her cage and walked over to a chair where I sat down with her in my lap. She looked around a bit, climbed to my shoulder and sniffed my hair and my ears. It tickled and I giggled. As soon as I did she started making this little hopping motion in my lap and made a warbling noise. The witch at the counter told me this was called a war dance. I was enthralled!

The little ferret looked so regal sitting there and deciding immediately this would be the pet for me I called her Isis after the Egyptian goddess.

She seemed very happy with her new name. I sat for a bit cuddling her as my parents made the purchase. She made the most adorable little happy sounds as I snuggled her under my chin. Isis was certainly going to make this a much happier place for me. And I had been told that if I were to get sick and she was to share her food with me, especially if we drank milk from the same cup, I would get better.

My mother immediately pronounced this unsanitary and forbade me to do any such thing. I would get my cures from a licensed healer with well tested charms, spells and potions.

The witch then told me the other powers of the ferret were stealth, cunning, hunting, ingenuity, revenge and the ability to see hidden things and reasons. My mother and father smiled at each other. I knew they thought this was just a clever bit of sales speak on part of the clerk, but looking down at Isis licking her paws, I was pretty sure it was all true.

With my new pet held gently in my arms, I made my way with my parents to the ice cream shop. I loved all of the flavors, but I especially loved the dragon fruit ice cream that made me breath smoke like a dragon every time I took a bit!

I just wished all of my grade school friends could come with me. I was really going to miss them. And my cousins. And my school.

I had grown up on exciting tales of Ilvermorny and the houses there. We had all tried to figure out which house we would be selected for. I really had wanted to be in Wampus after hearing the story of running deer and how she had gone out bravely to fight off the demon ew'ah but I knew I did not have that kind of bravery. No, it would likely be Pukwudgie for me. I was more of a thinker than a fighter.

Dang it Ilvermorny was supposed to be my school, not this frozen castle in Scotland! And I knew it would be frozen because my cousin Michael told me all about it, and he is fourteen and really smart. As far as I was concerned he knew everything.

He said they have to heat the place up with hundreds of fireplaces all year long or the students would freeze to death!

He also warned me about every creature and nasty I could expect to find at Hogwarts and the neighboring grounds.

They sure didn't sound like our reasonably friendly sasquatch and the tiny little people mannegishi who could be great tricksters and were cousins of the pukwudgies, the caretakers of Ilvermorny.

Pukwudgies. They made me feel bad too. There were no pukwudgies at all in Britain I was told. There were other little people but no pukwudgies. They had something called house elves. Maybe the house elves tool care of us instead?

I was certain I had crossed in to savage territory.

The whole idea of being around these strange and terrifying creatures, hippogriffs and dragons and trolls scared me silly. It was looking more and more like Wampus was not the house for me!

Remembering Michael and how he just seemed to know everything worth knowing made me homesick again. I really wanted to see my aunts and uncles and cousins. I felt like I was at the end of the earth and would never see anyone familiar again as long as I lived.

The day did not end as happily as I would have liked but at least I had Isis.


	2. Hogwarts Express and Draco Malfoy

The day I had been looking forward to all of my life and the day had been dreading all at the same time was finally here. We went to a train station called Kings Cross. It was pretty big, Grand Central Station big.

Or at least almost. I wasn't going to give this place more credit than it deserved.

When Mommy asked me how I liked this big neat place with the colorful train that was to whisk me off to a castle where I would most likely freeze to death all I could do was shrug.

If they didn't care that they were sending me off to face certain death by freezing or being torn limb from limb by the horrible creatures in the forest surrounding the school then they did not deserve a complete answer.

Mommy reminded me how low and common shrugging was. She would have lost it right there if I had rolled my eyes. I knew how far I could push things with her. I always pulled back just before punishment. Unless I was going for a gale force tantrum. Then it was all bets off.

There were certainly a lot of other people here. But none of the faces were familiar. Back home my friends and cousins would all be waiting for me. Mommy and Daddy were always the last to arrive. We would meet up and talk about our summer and we would be laughing and goofing off. But here I didn't know anyone yet, except for Isis. At least she looked sorry that I was being sent to my doom. Or maybe she was just sorry I had to keep her in her cage until we got on the train.

I would have been angrier with my parents if they didn't look as sorry to see me go as I was to leave. At least Mommy cried. I pretended to be embarrassed, but it was mostly for show. She is kind of embarrassing though.

Good, maybe she would be sorry when I froze to death. Or was mauled by an angry troll. When I suggested this she laughed through her tears and said "Cassie" in that warning tone of hers.

"What? Michael says…" I started.

"Michael, Michael, Michael. One day you are going to learn that boy doesn't know _everything_ there is to know young lady." She told me laughing.

I finally got to take Isis out of her cage when my trunks were loaded on to the baggage car. This was it. Mommy and Daddy would be gone and for the first time ever I wouldn't have anyone. I was pretty scared, but I didn't want any of my new classmates to see me crying so I just sighed really loud when Mommy and Daddy hugged me and told them to stop embarrassing me I had to go or the train would leave without me. When Mommy wasn't looking Daddy tucked a few extra galleons into my pockets for emergencies. And some chocolate. Daddy is the best. Mommy makes me eat things that taste bad but are good for me. We are WITCHES why can't we just make chocolate good for us. Mommy laughs when I say that but I think I am on to something here...

When I finally got on the train and was looking for a place to sit a couple of boys rushed past and knocked me to the ground. I barely kept Isis from going flying by holding her tight. I must have squeezed too hard because she let out a loud squeak. As I was checking her over to make sure she was OK a hand suddenly appeared before me "Need a hand up?" I looked up in to the most startling grey eyes I had ever seen and took his hand. He led me into a cabin and helped me get set down. "Draco" he said "Draco Malfoy." He cast a disapproving look towards where the boys had run off to showing how he felt about their rude behavior "You will soon learn that some wizarding families are better than others" he seemed to think about what he was saying for a moment "Some, like that lot, will knock you down without ever even knowing or caring. Or mock your family or name. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort, I can help you there."

I gasped in outrage, I hated bullies "Someone made fun of your name?! That is awful! I like your name. It means dragon right? And made fun of your family? Like your Mom? Creeps." I blushed at how much I was babbling.

He didn't seem offended though, he looked amused. "You sound different. American?" I nodded "Nice. You must not have met many people here yet."

I shook my head "No one, you are the first." He smiled, wow he had the prettiest smile. Are you allowed to call boys smiles pretty?

I finally remembered my manners "I am Cassandra, Cassandra Taylor. My father just got transferred to the Ministry here. That is why I am starting school here and not with my friends and family. He is an ambassador"

"Oh yes, my father was telling mother last night that we have a new ambassador. My father is very important in the Ministry. We are hosting a welcome dinner at Malfoy Manor for your family in a few weeks! Nice to meet you beforehand."

I agreed, but just smiled shyly at him.

"What is your blood status?" he asked suddenly.

It sounded important, and I wanted to give the right answer, but I didn't know what it was he was looking for so I just said "Fine thanks."

He laughed "Good one. But seriously. You aren't muggleborn are you?"

I was confused and I shrugged, even though Mommy hated it when I shrugged, she said it was rude "I don't know… What does that mean?"

He looked at me for a long time as if trying to figure out if I was joking "Are your parents magical?"

"Oh. Yes, my parents aren't No-Maj If that is what you are asking."

"No-Maj? What is that?"

Now it was my turn to be confused. "People without magic. No-Maj, see?"

"Oh, we call them muggles. What about your grandparents, were they mug.. or No-Maj?"

"No, all wizards. Why?" I was confused and fascinated by this whole line of questioning. I could tell it was important and I didn't want to offend my first new friend. If we were friends now. I hoped we were any way.

"Well, it has to do with what house you can get in to. We won't know what house we get until we get to Hogwarts but my family has always been in Slytherin, so I am sure that is where I will go, but you have to be pureblood status, or at least halfblood, you sound like you are good there. If you are smart Ravenclaw is goo too, bookish but not in a bad way" he hurried to add "but Gryffindors are so stuck on themselves, they think we all cry about not getting to be Gryffindors and Hufflepuff, ugh, I would leave school first!"

"How would someone have no-maj parents?" I asked confused. Wizards did not marry no-maj. We all knew it was illegal for them to even know we existed we were not allowed to interact. How could we marry one and have children if we did not get to know them first?

He looked at me funny when I asked that and started to say something but we got interrupted before he could.

We were so involved in their conversation they were surprised when the door opened and two boys and a girl entered.

"Oi, Draco. Who's this" said the skinny one.

The girl just gave me a sort of disgusted face. Or maybe that was her normal look. It was hard to tell, but I knew one thing. She did not like me sitting so close to Draco. I wasn't sure how I knew this, but she did not like it one bit.

Whatever, he had scooted next to me. I sure wasn't moving. Not like I could, he had me pretty well pinned between him and the train.

The other boy, a dark skinned boy with an intelligent look smiled at me politely. I returned his smile.

Draco moved over to my seat placing himself in the middle letting me have the window. I thought that was very considerate of him.

"Cassandra, this is Pansy, Blaise and Theo. This is Cassandra. She is from America, her father is the new Ambassador to the Ministry." Draco introduced us around.

I was happy he was doing that since I really wanted to fit in. My parents made it very clear we were not going anywhere any time soon. Probably not before I graduated since his was an eight year placement.

Pansy wasted no time taking the seat next to Draco. "Oh?" she said pursing her lips and making a tsking sound "With that red hair of hers I thought you had brought a Weasley in here."

I was fascinated by that sound. I tried to practice in my head how to make it and where to add that in to a temper tantrum. At the beginning to set things off, or at the end when I was winding down but not quite ready to be finished? I would have to practice.

"Don't be a bitch Pansy. Her hair is nowhere near that awful color of Weasley red and her eyes are green not that washed out blue." The darker boy Blaise had spoken up for me. I was a little shocked by his language but still pleased.

"Still" continued Pansy "Red hair is so out of fashion I would not show up in public wearing it!" she made that sound again. That tsking sound.

"How do you do that?" I suddenly blurted out to her. I couldn't very well practice right here, but I _really_ wanted to know.

She seemed startled to have me address her "Do what?"

"Make that sound, that clicking tsking sound? I would love to learn that. It would drive my mother crazy she says sounds like that are low class and common and it would add an extra element to my world class temper tantrums!"

Pansy stood up suddenly "I am not going to stand here and be insulted by some… some red headed American!" she stormed out.

"Did you just use my hair color as an insult? I would have started in on how my clothes and accent were different from yours." Maybe she didn't have as much to teach me as I thought.

I was astonished. I looked around at the three boys. "I was complimenting her not insulting her!"

They found this incredibly funny and all three burst into laughter. Well, at least I had made someone happy. Isis and I looked at each other and I shrugged, she made a happy chirrup sound.

These Hogwarts students were a lot harder to understand than I thought they would be. The oddest things seemed to make them laugh. That was OK though. At least they seemed to like me and Blaise even called Pansy a bitch for me.

We spent the rest of the ride laughing playing games and eating from the cart. At least they liked candy in this hideous place. I don't think I could have withstood having no sweets as well as being dragged off to a savage country.

Before we reached Hogwarts I had made three friends and one enemy.

A pretty good start to my scholastic career.


	3. The Sorting Ceremony

I was happy to have Draco, Blaise and Theo with me when I crossed the lake to Hogwarts. This was too good to not have friends to share it with.

It wasn't as frozen as Michael had made it out to be either. Maybe I had caught the place on a good day. It was inconceivable that Michael was wrong.

Michael read like all the time. But he wasn't just a book worm. Oh no, not Michael. He was also on the Quodpot team. He was really athletic and popular at Ilvermorny. He planned to be professional one day.

Michael had been my hero since I was a little girl. He was not my flesh and blood cousin, but I had always called his mother Aunt Karen. She is my mother's closest friend. They went to Ilvermorny together and were house and dorm mates.

The lake was so dark it looked black. Well, that was fair, since it turns out it was called the black lake. I bent over to get a good look but Draco grabbed me around the waist to pull me back.

"Hey" he said, laughing "Are you trying to get sucked to the bottom of the lake? There is a giant squid in there!"

"COOL!" I squealed "Where?!" I looked over the edge again hoping to get a peek. I thought he was literally looking at it at the moment he said that.

Shaking his head he looked at Blaise and Theo "I blame you two she didn't pick up these bad habits from me."

They just laughed. Blaise was holding Isis and she also gave him a look like she thought it was all his fault. "Make your ferret stop judging me Taylor." He complained.

We all laughed at that. Even Isis made little sounds and sort of war danced around him. I had to grab her to keep her from going in to the lake.

The big man who was taking us across seemed scary at first but he was very friendly and I definitely felt safe with him around. He told us his name is Hagrid and he is the grounds keeper. He said hello to a boy named Harry and there was lots of whispering when he did that but I was too busy looking at the boy next to the one he called Harry to notice. He seemed familiar and I asked Draco about it.

"That is Harry Potter, he thinks he is so special because he is famous. Don't bother trying to be nice to him. If you don't come up to scratch with his buddy Weasley he won't have anything to do with you." I noticed how angry he looked at this.

"I meant the other one. That boy? The one with the red hair. Weasley you said? He looks sort of familiar."

"His brothers were the ones who ran past you and knocked you down."

I gasped in understanding "Is he the one who was making fun of you?!" Draco shrugged "He's a creep. You don't need those kinds of friends. You have us."

Blaise and Theo nodded making me feel warm and gooey inside.

Draco smiled at me. Gosh his smile is so pretty. So are his eyes. My tummy did a flippy sort of thing when he smiled at me. I was a little confused by it. But not in a bad way.

I mean I wasn't confused in a bad way, not that my tummy didn't flip in a bad way, except I guess that wasn't too bad either.

When we were taken into the big castle everyone sort of lined up. I stayed with Draco, Blaise and Theo. I was still a little nervous, but not as scared as I was at first. I just didn't want us all to be separated.

First the headmaster got up and welcomed us and told us what places were off limits. I didn't really want to go in to a forest anyway but with how big this place was I was a little nervous I would not remember which corridor on which floor lead to some sort of terrible death.

Then this hat was sat on a chair and it started singing. That was pretty nice.

I looked around for their walls. Before I could ask Draco about it they started sticking the hat on people's heads and it started shouting out their houses! Wow, that was different!

One by one houses started being assigned to people. Draco was right, he got Slytherin, I was happy with how happy he looked. The smirk on Draco's face when he immediately got Slytherin made me laugh. Blaise moved forward to poke me and grin at me and Theo. Theo got in next. I watched him and Draco high five each other. It was nice to share this moment with friends. I couldn't help but smile to see them so happy.

Too bad that Pansy girl also got Slytherin.

When it was my turn I sat down and the hat was placed on my head. After it's singing I wasn't surprised to hear it start talking, but when I kept hoping to get in to Slytherin I was surprised it spoke directly to me "Slytherin, hmmm? You are smart enough for Ravenclaw, courageous enough for Gryffindor. A little too lazy for Hufflepuff." I had to resist sticking my tongue out at the hat. "No, please let me in Slytherin so I can stay with my friends!"

"Very well" it said to me and then suddenly shouted "Slytherin!"

I jumped straight off of the chair and went to hug my new friends. We were all pretty happy to get to stay together. The older students cheered for us and told us not to worry that Slytherin's take care of their own. I was so happy to be considered part of someone's "own".

Then finally Blaise got in. Theo and Draco shook his hand, but I got to hug him!

An older girl named Gemma took care of showing us around and let us know how things went in Slytherin. We could see under the lake in the dungeons and finally I got a peek at that giant squid! It was the best! And there were even merpeople!

In addition to Draco and Theo and Blaise I immediately made friends with a girl named Daphne Greengrass. She was a little quiet, which was OK with me. She wasn't much of a gossiper but she was great at studying. I think I probably talk enough for both of us. She was my dorm mate. There were only the two of us in our room.

It was soooo peaceful in there. At night I could hear the merpeople singing and the fireplace crackling. I set up Isis' little bed next to the fireplace so she could enjoy the heat. The room was beautiful and so comfortable. It was the first thing I owled my parents about.

They were so happy I had made friends. Especially with such an influential family like the Malfoys. I rolled my eyes. Only my mother would think of that first. I showed Draco the letter and we had a good laugh about it shaking our heads at the stupidity of parents.

"I hope you know that isn't what I meant about the wrong sort of wizarding families, Cass." He said.

"Duh, Draco. I know that." I remembered our conversation about families who were taught manners and those who weren't. I stroked Isis in my lap thinking about how she could have really been hurt when I got knocked down. I know now that Fred and George weren't really _bad_ , just rather silly and sometimes thoughtless.

But I did not really know Ron Weasley and he always glared in our direction, so I suppose we were never going to be close friends.

Pansy immediately group up with Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. They liked to think of themselves as, I don't know, Draco's henchmen or something. They gave me the creeps. Draco just laughed when I told him that.

It turned out Michael was only sort of right. There were an awful lot of fireplaces. I never thought we were going to be in any real danger of freezing to death though.

I sent him a letter telling him that. He sent one back reminding me it wasn't winter yet. The pig. I laughed. I sure missed him a lot.

And then of course the very next week the one thing I had known was going to happen absolutely happened. One of the professors, a nervous little man named Professor Quirrel came into the Great Hall screaming that a troll was loose in the castle!

In. The. Castle!

I thought I would be safe if I didn't go in to the woods. Or the third floor corridor on the right hand side.

But now there was a troll in loose inside waiting for a taste of first year flesh. Why was this place trying to kill me?

The prefects were supposed to lead us back to our common rooms. I did not want prefects. I wanted a regiment of trained troll killing aurors!

Or my parents!

Or Michael! I definitely wanted Michael. He would know how to handle a troll for sure.

We would learn the next day that three idiot first years from Gryffindor, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger went after the troll on their own.

Seriously how stupid can you get?

I was determined to have my parents have the whole lot of these incompetent people fired but the first real chance I would have to discuss this with them would be at the welcoming dinner that Draco's parents were hosting. And they were going to get an earful from me!

And I was definitely going to threaten a tantrum. I wasn't sure if I would go through with it at a state function, that was a really big deal, but this was a matter of life and death!

I mean how else besides incompetence does a TROLL get in to a CASTLE?

This isn't like mice in the cupboards. Or even rats. Or even like the one time Michael and I snuck a full grown bobcat in to the house under a spell. We were sure we could keep it spelled long enough to train it.

As it turns out we were wrong. We were definitely not powerful enough to keep a bobcat ensorcelled and we had no idea how to train one anyway!


	4. Shopping with Lady Malfoy

I was waiting to be picked up by my father's assistant Maria to go shopping for my outfit for the welcome dinner the Malfoy's would be throwing for us the following weekend.

As much as I disliked these state events, this one would be bearable since Draco would be there with me. He promised me we would only have to make an appearance meet the dignitaries and then we would be free to escape until the official dinner.

He promised to help me with my flying skills Mommy and Daddy said if I got better they would buy me a really good broom but they were not wasting good money if my skills were not good enough to make the house team next year. Plus I really wanted to play next year. Draco said he was going to try out and it sounded like a lot of fun.

I was really surprised when I went to Professor Dumbledore's office to meet Maria for our shopping trip to see Draco there with a very beautiful blonde woman. I could tell right away she must be his mother just because he Sort of looked like her.

"Surprise!" he said grinning at me.

I just looked at him confused.

His mother smiled down at him "You have to explain the surprise to her, darling." she said patiently, looking at me she explained "Your parents have agreed you might come with Draco and me to shop for a dress for our dinner. I have always wanted to take a young lady out shopping. I would be very pleased and honored if you would agree to come with us for the day."

I could not decide to be pleased or not. I did like the idea of going with someone besides Maria, she always hurries me and makes me feel like I have to choose the very first thing. But I felt a little embarrassed to be going out and trying on things with someone I didn't know.

It must have shown on my face because Lady Malfoy immediately pulled my arm through hers and whispered like we were two girlfriends, "You are not really going to make me go with Draco alone are you? He gets fussy and bullheaded when I want to look at dresses and accessories."

I laughed at Draco's dark look and agreed at once that we couldn't have that happen.

It was a wonderful morning. Draco was left with some male robes shop keep since Lady Malfoy said his outfit was not nearly as important as ours. He looked a little concerned about leaving us alone together.

He didn't need to worry. Parents loved me. Well, other people's parents. Sometimes I am pretty certain my parents are looking for a way to off me and make it look like an accident. Like when the bobcat shredded the drapes and at the expensive koi in the pond.

Lady Malfoy and I went to a shop called Twilfitt and Tattings. We passed by the place where I had purchased my school robes and I seemed to remember they had some really nice dresses and dress robes there but Lady Malfoy went right past it. Which seemed odd because we actually had to cross the street and go back down to reach the shop she wanted. It would have been faster to cross the street earlier.

It almost looked like she wanted the woman in the robe shop to see her and know she wasn't going in there. I guessed I was right when I heard Lady Malfoy say "The last time I was in the robe shop with Draco, darling," I looked around to see who she was calling 'darling' I was surprised to see it was me "they had some undesirables shopping there. We will purchase our items from Twilfitt and Tattings. They cater to a more exclusive clientele.

I had absolutely no idea what or who she was talking about, but I agreed her plan for a shop was the best one.

The shop was very nice and I was very glad we went there. The little witches bubbling around us brought teas and cakes and offered us foot rubs while they brought out sample after sample of material. I had not understood until now that our dresses would be made especially for us.

Narcissa turned down one color for being too common, one for going terribly with my hair. One for being made of too poor a quality material. The thread was only silver colored, not real silver, I had no idea that was even a thing. I missed out on so much shopping with Maria.

When I told Lady Malfoy about my past shopping experiences she seemed horrified. "How could anyone not simply adore being pampered and allowed to dress you up in such beautiful things?" she asked me.

I felt a little bad for Maria. "I don't mean to complain. She is my father's assistant and very busy after all. I am sure it took time out of her important work."

"Nonsense, you are far too modest. You are your father's pride and joy and her most important work is seeing to your comfort. After all, unless he has a son, it will be you who bears his heir." She looked ready to do battle on my behalf. Almost like my Aunt Karen did when she felt I was not getting my share of attention. Mother always laughed and told her to stop spoiling me so much.

Still, what she said about giving my family an heir… I blushed a deep red thinking about what she had just said. I had never thought about… _that_ … before. I had never even kissed a boy. I knew how babies were made, but I had not thought about how I would one day be doing those things that would create one.

Lady Malfoy smiled slightly amused yet kindly at my blush and patted me on the knee. "Let's also have some jewelry sent over. Your father and mother want you to look your best, you will be meeting some very important people."

I sighed "Yes Lady Malfoy."

With a sympathetic look she asked "You don't care for these event parties?" I could not shake the feeling that everything she was doing today was some sort of exam. Like a school test. And that there absolutely were right and wrong answers.

It was alright I had been around politicians my whole life. I could usually figure out what they were after when it came to getting answers from me. And I knew when to shut up about my parents. But she did not seem to be after information about my parent's work.

"Oh, no, it is not that, it is only that I feel like an unnecessary ornament and I want to feel…" I found it hard to find the right words.

"Necessary? Dignified?" she supplied

I looked at her dumbfounded for a moment. "Yes, that is it exactly. It is like you know my own thoughts and feelings…"

"I once felt like nothing more than a pretty ornament at these events as well, Cassandra. Your day will come. Have patience." She patted my knee and I knew I had passed this part of the test.

In the end we chose an emerald green and silver material for the dress for me that did not clash with my hair. The dress design the witch tailor charmed an image of over my school robes made me look like a princess. I couldn't wait to have the real one. The material was so soft it almost felt like I would be wearing a nightgown all evening!

We, and by 'we' I mean Lady Malfoy since I had no idea what I was doing, chose a pair of silver ballet flats that she assured me would be easy to wear all night. She was getting a pair of heels that looked like a queen should be wearing them. When I lightly touched my finger to the toe and murmured how beautiful they were she placed a hand on my cheek and laughed.

"When you are older we will come back and have a pair designed just for you, lovely girl." I nodded eagerly making her laugh again.

The jeweler had brought over a tray of simple but very pretty pieces for Lady Malfoy and I to look at. We decided finally on a small snake ring for Slytherin and even a necklace and bracelet set to match. It was all packaged up and sent to my parent's home to wait for me.

Before the jeweler left I asked Lady Malfoy "Should we choose something for Draco?" there was something in her eyes that was oddly disturbing for a moment when she looked at me. Like I had passed a test she didn't even know she was giving me. It made me feel weird.

"Draco will be wearing his signet ring, darling. Do you know what those are?" she was still watching me with that odd look.

"My father has an old one that belonged to his great grandfather. They show you belong to a very specific family, yes? A very old family usually?" I was sure I was pretty close.

"Yes, and usually a very powerful family. In our case that means a pureblood family." Ahh… there was that distinction again. I knew more about it now. At least a little, but I still did not understand.

Afterwards we went to a very nice restaurant for lunch. I was raised well enough to know that in these types of places one never thanks the help. That the help is actually snobbish enough to be offended by it. In the little places my parents took me to grab a quick burgers and fries, (except they called those chips here, have to remember that) at home I could show appreciation, but not here. So doing my best not to make eye contact I unfolded my napkin and placed it carefully across my lap.

Throughout lunch I would catch Lady Malfoy watching me occasionally. I was used to this. Strange adults always expect strange children to suddenly throw a tantrum or spill their water or some other horrendous mistake of manners. Not me though. I knew where my allowance came from.

"You have impeccable manners, Cassandra, so few young people do these days." I resisted sighing. This was a test. It was always a test with adults. Usually in these situations Michael would tap me with his foot under the table to let me know how to behave but now I was on my own. No one to save me.

I know it may seem silly for an eleven year old girl to want her fourteen year old cousin to come and rescue her from everything from trolls to parents of friends, but the thing you have to understand is Michael has been saving me since I was a toddler. Our parents all work in MACUSA politics and so we were left to nannies a lot. We always had each other. I needed someone and he needed someone to need him. My nannies always took the credit for how I turned out but they had very little influence over how I behaved. It was always Michael.

"Thank you Lady Malfoy. I have truly enjoyed your company today." Draco was looking anywhere but at the two of us. Even he recognized I was being evaluated.

"Please, you must call me Narcissa. I insist." Was this the test? I tried not to frown as I thought back to all of my lessons.

"That would be wonderful, Lady Malfoy, but I must…" I searched just a moment for the right words, darned all of those lessons! "decline. It would be immodest and disrespectful of me."

From her small smile I could tell I had passed her test. "As you wish, but I do hope our families become close enough that it would be neither immodest nor disrespectful to do so."

"That is my wish as well, Lady Malfoy." I smiled at her.

"You must feel free to come to me at any time with any questions you might have. I know this new life must be very confusing to you." She sounded very sincere.

Did she truly mean it? There was only one way to find out. "There is one thing that bothers me, Lady Malfoy… this whole pureblood idea…"

I knew I had said something wrong when both she and Draco tensed up. "Yes my dear… what questions do you have about it?"

"How would someone be ummm… I don't know what the word would be… how could someone not have wizard parents?" they both looked at me in surprise.

"Surely you have people at home who are mudbloods or halfbloods?" asked Lady Malfoy.

That first word sounded… I don't know, ugly, but I knew I did not like it, I knew better than to show my feelings though. "I don't think so, what is that?"

"Someone who has muggle parents, either both or one of them." explained Draco.

"But how? Marrying or having babies with no-maj is illegal! We aren't even allowed to let them know we exist! You can get executed for that, it was all over the papers last summer how a wizard had a no-maj girlfriend. She was obliviated and he was put to death!" Draco and Lady Malfoy looked at me stunned.

"They… this law actually exists in the MACUSA?" Lady Malfoy asked. "And is common enough children discuss it and the consequences?"

"Doesn't it exist here?" I asked in confusion.

Neither one said anything.

Later that night cuddling with Isis on the bed I started thinking over everything that had happened that day. I don't really know how I knew all that stuff about Lady Malfoy testing me, and how I knew I had somehow passed her tests. It seemed so unusual to think about.

Then I suddenly thought back to the day I got Isis and what the witch had said about the power of ferrets _'stealth, cunning, hunting, ingenuity, revenge and the ability to see hidden things and reasons.'_

"Is that it Isis, are you the one helping me see how all of this fits together?" It seemed unlikely, but I am not usually that knowledgeable about why people do things. Perceptive, that is what my Daddy said Mommy is, perceptive, she sees things about people and situations and that is what makes her such a good lawyer.

Isis just stretched and yawned and curled up into a ball to go to sleep. I would be getting no answers from that direction


	5. Malfoy Welcoming Dinner

I was picked up for the Malfoy's party by two Aurors who were to escort me to my home where I would get ready and then Mommy and Daddy would take me to the party. I was very excited to see them, it had only been a few weeks, but I have never gone so long without them. They have been so busy moving in and getting set up at work that they could barely even owl me. But at least for awhile tonight Mommy would fuss over me and Daddy would slip me chocolates and things would be normal.

Of course normal meant be cross examined by my mother the MACUSA lawyer and Daddy the ambassador about how my first weeks of school went.

I told her all about Daphne Greengrass and how her sister would be going to school there in a couple years. And that we were both really excited about learning to fly better, except Daphne doesn't want to play Quidditch she wants to make mascots for the Slytherin team like the Bulgarians have their veela's. Daphne is pretty enough to be a veela.

I told them all about Blaise and Theo and Draco too. They asked some questions about Blaise and Theo and their family, but then they zoomed right in on Draco like they were looking for the pot to drop the quod in before the two minute timer was up.

( news/2012/01/quadpot-beta-rules).

"How did you enjoy your shopping trip with Narcissa Malfoy?" My mother asked finally. This translated as "Did you do anything so embarrassing we will have to fake our deaths and move to Siberia?"

"It was sure different from shopping with Maria." I said happily. "Lady Malfoy really enjoys shopping and she made sure every detail was exactly the way it is supposed to be. We didn't just grab the first thing and leave!"

My father frowned "Yes, I got an interesting owl."

I put my head down "I am sorry Daddy, I didn't mean to complain. I know how busy Maria is and I should have been grateful."

Daddy got right down to my level and lifted my chin up with his hand "Cassandra Elsbeth Taylor, you listen to me. Maria was my assistant. I pay her to do the best job she is capable of doing with the tasks I assign her. She did not do that with you, and made you feel like it was your fault. That is unacceptable."

I swallowed hard " _Was_ your assistant?"

"Yes Cassandra, if I cannot trust her with important tasks like taking care of your needs, how can I trust she will take care of my visiting dignitaries?"

I nodded, that made sense. Daddy liked to spoil me, but when he gave me a job to do, like get good grades or do a chore, he expected me to do my very best and he didn't accept excuses.

Giving me a quick hug and a kiss on my head he turned to my mother with his tie in hand. She laughed and proclaimed him the most incompetent man at the most silly of tasks, for all of his political brilliance.

But this did not deter my mother "Cassandra? Your trip with Narcissa?"

"Oh, it was very nice Mommy, but they sure are odd about some things here, aren't they?" I commented with a frown.

"Cassie, eat what is put in front of you. There is every chance you will find a new food you like." I was confused at first with what she was saying.

"Oh no, Mommy, I meant their thoughts on being pureblood." Mommy and daddy both froze the same way Draco and his mother had.

"What do you mean, Cassie?" asked Daddy.

"Well, I don't understand, how could someone be a mudblood or halfblood?" My parents both gasped in outrage.

"Cassandra, never use that word again! We do NOT call them mud ANYTHING, they are muggleborn. That would be very bad for your Daddy's career for you to say that word." I didn't want to be the one to tell her that pretty much everyone in Slytherin used it. I didn't know it was a bad word until I saw how they reacted. Maybe it means something else here?

"Yes Mommy. I didn't know it was bad." She nodded.

"But still, how can they have no-maj parents? Isn't it illegal to marry no-maj?" I was eleven children outside of marriage hadn't really occurred to me yet. Even my friend Hannah who had two Mommies had two _married_ Mommies!

"Cassandra…" Daddy started "this is a very different place. It is not illegal here. And not everyone frowns on it, but some do."

"What about the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy?" As a child in a political and legal home I may not know a lot about how babies come to be, but I heard a lot more about international law!

"They enforce it differently here." Mommy explained.

"But I am glad you enjoyed your trip, the Malfoys are a very important family. We want you to be friends with Draco, but if he or his family says anything that makes you feel… uncomfortable about people who are different, come and speak to us and we will make sure you have the facts."

I nodded. I wasn't really uncomfortable just terribly confused.

Mommy helped me get ready and made my hair into soft waves. The dress in person was even better than it had been at the shop. Of course at the shop it was just a bit of material and a charmed image. It really was as soft as I remembered. I felt like a princess.

While she was helping me get ready I knew now was as good a time as any to bring out the rampaging hordes of trolls ready to storm the Hogwarts Castle at a moment's notice. And if someone wasn't actually leaving the door open for them then they weren't watching the doors they had left open for Merlin knows what else!

I started out by reminding her about what Michael said about all of the terrifying creatures that could be found wandering the forest outside of Hogwarts. With a laugh she asked "Now, aren't you glad that Michael doesn't know _everything_?"

"Yeah, except for the part where a full grown mountain troll actually got in to the castle and almost killed three first year students." ZING! Now something would get done.

She laughed again "Now Cassandra…" except looking in to my eyes she could tell I was serious "Wait… really? CHRISTOPHER!"

Daddy came in at a run "Cassandra just told me that an actual troll got in to the school and we were not informed!"

Daddy pulled at his shirt sleeves and looked uncomfortable "You knew!" Mommy was not happy.

"Now Ellie…." Daddy definitely had known. And no one was fired? I mimicked my mother's stance with my arms across my chest. The 'I'm very disappointed in you Christopher Taylor' stance.

"Don't you 'now Ellie' me. Our child could have been seriously injured or killed. Take. Care. Of. This." That was her final word on the subject. We floo'd to the Malfoy estate immediately after.

I was amazed when we arrived at Draco's home. I thought our place was huge. And it is, but this is a whole new level of huge. It looked less like a home than a small castle. It even had places where it looked like someone should be shooting arrows or pouring boiling oil on us!

Draco was in the receiving line. I knew my duty. Greet my hosts, don't fidget, be polite. Smile in all the right places and then blend in wherever my parents were.

But no one ever really _talked_ to me before, I was just ornamentation. Until Lady Malfoy, who made a point of asking about school and my week and just chatting the way she was doing with all of the important people. When I looked up at Lord Malfoy I almost gasped. He was so tall and his eyes were almost as pretty as Draco's. He acted normal. Good evening, shuffle along. Draco did the same, except he whispered he'd meet me by the punch bowl when the receiving line was done.

As good as his word in about an hour, Draco met up with me. Well… us really, since Theo and Blaise were also here. Mommy and Daddy allowed me to go off with them as soon as I introduced them. They were on their best behavior with the adults which was completely out of character for these two jokers, but it got me out of a boring conversation about the legality and safety regulations of shipping mandragora across the ocean. Boring!

Theo had just finished telling us a joke about why witches don't wear knickers (to get a better grip on their brooms) that we were all groaning over when Draco finally managed to escape.

"Theo if my mother hears you telling that joke she will have your head." Draco laughed coming to stand next to me.

"Now Draco," I said, "we have all seen Theo's head. Lady Malfoy can do much better."

Theo pouted while we all laughed.

My parents and the Malfoys arrived at that moment smiling down at us. Daddy came over to wrap an arm around my shoulder making me squinch up and smile at him. Daddy always makes time to make certain I am not too bored. Mommy mostly just makes sure I am not getting in to trouble. I always wondered how they decided who got which duties. When I get married I want to be the one who slips chocolates in the pockets and my husband can be the one who has to remind the kids to do their homework!

"How is my second best girl doing?" Daddy asked. Mommy gets to be first best, but I get to be best daughter, so it works out.

"Good Daddy, we are just chatting quietly, not letting wild animals in to the house or anything." Daddy and I shared a laugh while Mommy glared at both of us.

"Now that sounds like a story waiting to be told." Draco smiled at me.

"And we will leave you to it, son." Lord Malfoy said looking at him… I really don't know how, more like he was an employee than a son "I do believe you had requested flying time on our Quidditch pitch?"

"Yes, Father," Draco replied very stiffly "If we may have your permission to take our leave?"

"You may do so." He seemed to dismiss us after this.

Daddy squeezed my shoulders "Alright butterfly, go have fun with your young man and we will have you summoned for dinner."

My young man? That was an odd way to describe… wait… who did he mean? There were three boys with me? "My… who Daddy?"

Draco shook his head at me like I was being silly and grabbed my hand, "Come on Cass, let's go." The weird smiles on the faces of both of our parents was starting to creep me out big time.

Draco pulled me out with the three of them towards the side yard. Their Quidditch pitch was HUGE! It might even have been regulation size, except I really didn't know what that would be.

We spent the next couple of hours flying around. At first Draco had me ride with him so I could get a feel for when and how to turn and when to dive. Afterwards he watched me practice what he had shown me and then told me with my instincts I would make a great beater.

We practiced until we were summoned for the dinner where I was seated next to Draco with some strange girl who only spoke Dutch on my other side. Fortunately for her I was taught Dutch and French by two nannies. I felt bad for her, she looked so lost, so I spent my time between both her and Draco making certain no one felt left out.

Later there was dancing. I danced with Daddy, Draco Blaise and Theo. Draco was the best.

From the looks my mother and Lady Malfoy were giving me I knew I had passed yet another test. I looked at Draco and I knew he was thinking the same thing.

Just what was going on?

I was not to find out the answer to that question for several years.


	6. 4th Year Summer and the World Cup

**Our Cassie is growing up and settling in to life at Hogwarts. She has made the Quidditch team and is happily a beater protecting Draco as he plays seeker. Years two and three are of no importance to our story dear reader, so we shall skip them. Enjoy this short interlude as we catch up to Cassie as she and her family attend the Quidditch World Cup.**

I had always loved the large crowds and draw of games, but this was bigger than what we had at Hogwarts by hundreds of times!

When Daddy first told me he had got us Quidditch World cup tickets I had been largely indifferent. Another big event that would probably be ruined because instead of enjoying it I would be forced to play nice with the kids of visiting dignitaries. Kids whose language I may not even speak who didn't want to hang out with me any more than I wanted to hang out with them.

But when he told me I would get to spend the week leading up to the event at the Malfoy's private cabin and that Draco, Blaise and Theo would be there I was much more excited I would be able to enjoy the game after all. I flung myself in to my father's arms. "Oh thank you Daddy, you are the best!"

The week leading up to the game was wonderful. We explored the woods close to the grounds and there were so many people. The Minister of Magic offered Daddy and Lord Malfoy his box to watch the game in, as he was one of the officials and would not actually need to sit there.

There were so many people at the game. I saw one boy from school I recognized, Cedric Diggory who stopped to talk to me for a bit and ask how my summer had been and if I had spoken to Luna or any of the other Hufflepuffs. I giggled when he tapped me on the chin before he left and told me he would see me at school.

"Oooooh" Blaise grinned at me "Cassie has a boyfriend."

"Don't be ridiculous Blaise, Cedric doesn't like me like that. We just share notes sometimes." Boys were so goofy.

"mmhmm I bet he does, kissing notes" Theo chimed in making kissing noises.

I blushed "No not kissing notes, charm notes."

"More like charming notes." Blaise elbowed me in the ribs.

"You are impossible." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Knock it off," Draco snapped angrily "there is no way Cedric Diggory is interested in Cassie."

"Oh? And why is that? Is there something wrong with me?" I couldn't believe he said that. Was there something wrong with me? I mean, I wasn't a gorgeous blonde like Daphne, and I didn't put out like Pansy. Did that mean Draco thought boys wouldn't like me? Well he could bugger off.

He must have seen how upset I was because he suddenly looked sorry "Cass, of course there's nothing wrong with you, that isn't what I meant."

"Whatever, save it Draco. Just because you three haven't figured out I'm a girl yet doesn't mean no one else has." I pushed passed the three of them towards the entrance where we would meet our fathers.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean, Cassandra? Just exactly who has noticed you are a girl?" I saw a look pass between Theo and Blaise. They were pretty surprised and curious about Draco's sudden anger. I wasn't he got like this sometimes. He hated sharing anything. Ice cream, toys, friends. It didn't mean anything.

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" actually, no one had noticed I was a girl yet, but damned if I was going to tell him that. Let him sweat it out some.

Draco glared at me for a long time after I said that but finally just shrugged.

"Tch, never mind, just forget I said anything." I could tell he was really bothered and I didn't want it to ruin the rest of our trip.

I linked my arm through his "You know you three are the only boys in my life, Draco. If even you three haven't noticed that I'm a girl yet, why would anyone else?"

He gave me a look that made my tummy do a flip just like the one way back when I had first met him. Would that feeling ever go away?

"Oh, I've noticed, Cassie, I've notice." I felt warm all of the sudden I was glad when we saw Lord Malfoy just ahead at the entrance to the stadium.

"Come along Draco, Cassandra and you two," he looked back at Blaise and Theo "Cassandra your father is already in the Minister's box waiting for us."

Lord Malfoy was not the comforting sort one asked questions of, like "Why isn't my Daddy here to get me?"and "Were there no warm blooded creatures he could have sent to pick me up?" so I just fell in behind him. Draco had not yet let go of my arm that he'd linked through his.

That is until we saw Harry Potter and his two friends. Those twins were with them too, I noticed they had got a lot more attractive over the years. I blushed when one of them looked down at me and winked.

Draco did NOT like that at all. He immediately stiffened. I tried to sooth his feelings by gently squeezing the arm he had linked with mine, but after our small spat earlier, he was not having any of it. He got that way when he felt like his position in any group was threatened.

And Lord Malfoy was not really helping the situation by taunting who I could only assume to be the Weasley father about the seats they had.

Harry Potter and his friends stood with their arms crossed glaring at Lord Malfoy and I couldn't blame them. I think probably the only reason the twin had winked at me was to upset Draco.

Draco gently let go of my arm with a final squeeze and stepped forward. Whatever he had planned it was not going to be good. I looked at Blaise and Theo but I knew they would be no help, they were not as bad as Goyle and Crabbe at egging him on but they sure didn't pull any punches.

Draco sneered at the trio "Cassandra and I are in the minister's box, by personal invitation of Cornelius Fudge"

Lord Malfoy admonished him "Don't boast Draco, there's no need with these people."

I held Draco back by the arm with a warning look. "Please," I whispered, I just want to enjoy the rest of this trip with you. And it is _you_ I am here with. Not Cedric or one of those Weasley's remember?"

Draco drew my arm back through his and patted my hand comfortingly.

"Father, as you mentioned the chance of rain, Cassandra is a bit chilly, might we go to our heated box now?" he just could not resist one last dig.

And apparently neither could his father. What was it they said about apples and trees?

Lord Malfoy, before we left was suddenly holding Harry back with his silver snake head walking stick "Do enjoy yourself won't you? While you can?"

Draco finally got me to the Minister's Box. I kept trying to decide what he had meant by he noticed I was a girl.

And… had he been jealous of Cedric and that Weasley twin? I mean that was ridiculous, right? We are just friends.

Weren't we? And why did Blaise and Theo keep sneaking looks at us and looking away? We weren't doing anything.

I mean OK, it was a little chilly, and if we wanted the best view we had to have the window open. And that meant it got a little chilly. So we all threw big cushions on the floor and laid down next to each other. And yes, we shared a blanket but Theo and Blaise were under the blanket too. Draco and I just happened to be next to each other in the middle.

So it was silly to think Draco meant anything by his outburst earlier.

Later that night after the Irish had taken the Cup I was still pondering this back at the Malfoy Cabin. We had curled up on the couch talking about the particulars of the game, I was super excited to discuss some of the tactics of the beaters with our team.

Theo laughed. "You have to be the only one who took that as a homework assignment, Taylor."

I was curled up next to Draco half asleep. "Someone has to make sure Draco doesn't get killed out there." I said sleepily.

"That's right" grinned Blaise, "can't have someone messing up his pretty face can we?"

"It's his eyes that are pretty" I murmured, falling asleep before I realized what I said or wondered why Draco's arm tightened around my waist. Or how I had got in to such a position where he had his arm around my waist.

Later I woke up to Draco gently shaking me "Cassie, wake up, we have to leave. Come on.' He ran his hand down my arm.

I realized somehow he had fallen asleep behind me on the couch.

"Go?" I rubbed my eyes sleepily "Go where?"

"Home, Cassandra, the place is being attacked, they are hunting muggles, we need to get you out of here." He helped me stand up.

I was still trying to process the words he was saying. Hunting muggles? Who was hunting muggles? "I'm not a muggle, Draco."

I was even more confused by the fact that he was fully dressed. And a little chilly like he had come from outside. Then how had he got behind me on the couch. I looked back at the couch and then at him.

"Wait, where did you go?" I was finally starting to hear what sounded like bombs going off outside. That woke me in a hurry. "Draco! You didn't go out there did you!?"

"I needed to help mother secure a spot for our portkey. Come on Cass, leave everything, we will come back for it later." He was pulling my robes and coat on me.

"Draco, I am frightened." I said looking at him.

He paused like he wanted to say something but finally all he said was "Cassandra, I will never let anything happen to you.

I trusted him. Which was probably foolish, what was it with me and trusting fourteen year old boys?

We left the tent in a hurry and I followed Draco to the area where his mother was. I knew he must have been worried about her so I did not complain about how quickly he wanted to go.

On our way we saw some muggles hanging in the air. Surrounding them were a group of wizards and maybe witches, it was hard to tell, wearing hooded robes and very ornate masks. They were flipping the mother upside down and exposing her to the world. I wanted to go help them but Draco gripped my arm firmly.

"No, Cassandra. You are not safe going over there." He pointed out how the masked people were blowing up tents and casting crazy jinxes and spells everywhere. I could easily be hurt by one. In the end self preservation won out and I continued to run, but I felt sick about it.

We finally reached Lady Malfoy who was waiting for us and we quickly left making it safely back to Malfoy Manor. I asked if I might have a place to lie down. I was feeling very ill.

Understanding Lady Malfoy had Draco take me to a guest room where I sat down with my face in my hands feeling like I might vomit. Draco asked me what was wrong but all I could do was shake my head. That was something I was going to keep to myself for the rest of my life as far as I was concerned.

One of the masks… I had recognized it. It used to hang in my father's closet.

How could Daddy's mask have got out there on a masked person terrorizing muggles?

And who was wearing it? Surely not my Daddy?


	7. Starting Fourth Year

Finally fourth year! Things have been a little weird here at times, like that big snake and an escaped prisoner, but I stay pretty much with Draco Blaise and Theo. I feel pretty safe with them. And of course the whole business with the World Cup, but I finally knew I had to be wrong in what I saw.

They told me not to worry about the snake because it was only going after people who were born with no-maj in their family. But I have friends with no-maj in their family in Ravenclaw, so I was pretty worried.

The weirdest things my friends think are not worth worrying about. Giant monster snake paralyzing people? No problem. Not as if purebloods were being attacked. They never stopped to think what happens when monsters run out of their preferred targets? We ALL become targets. Escaped criminal looking to kill Harry Potter? Who cares? It's just Potter. But who might he attack to get at Potter?

I swear if it weren't for my boys I would have demanded my parents sent me back home to the United States. At least Daddy got that old Care of Magical Creatures Professor Kettleburn fired for the troll incident. Spend time with his remaining limbs my ass!

And there is this one boy in Hufflepuff Justin Finch Fetchley, he is very nice and we study a lot together. He swears Harry Potter turned a snake on him! I don't know about that, it was all so confusing to me and mostly I was so worried about Draco. Why oh why did he have to show off so much? Justin was really upset by the whole incident.

It was during this time I also got to know Luna Lovegood. She is so sweet and pure. Daphne and I have started studying with her. At first Daph didn't want to because she said that everyone calls Luna "Loony" but after awhile she saw how nice Luna is. Daphne can be pretty sensitive and just hates to be made fun of. I was so proud she decided to hang out with Luna even if others laughed at us for it.

The three of us go out quite a bit to Hogsmeade. When I don't go with my boys that is. I usually go with my boys unless they need some guy time and I need some girl time. Even best friends need a break from each other sometimes.

When I first got to Hogwarts I thought the houses would not talk to each other much, but I had quite a few friends in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and even a couple of Gryffinors weren't too bad. Not really friends, but if we got paired as partners we didn't complain. I got to know Padma Patil because her twin sister Parvati was friendly with Cho Chang and Cho was friends with Luna, so sometimes we all studied together or shared a table at the Three Broomsticks if the place was full. Even the boys weren't total prats when there were a few Gryffindors around.

But fourth year was going to be amazing! There was this whole Tri-Wizard Tournament thing, and these students from another school.

These Beauxbaton girls came in and they were such show offs. All butterflies and "ahhhhs". Draco looked like he enjoyed their show a little too much.

"Hmmph", I said to Daphne "it all seems a little too much, don't you think?" I reached over and closed Draco's mouth for him with a finger under his chin.

"Jealous, Cass?" he asked with a grin.

"Of a dance routine? Hardly." I sniffed.

But ooooh these Durmstrang boys. They were very handsome, and very athletic. Daphne and I were quite impressed by their display when they came in to the Great Hall. Draco glared when I whispered to Daphne "Now _there_ is a show to get worked up over."

"Hardly anything special, and Vicktor Krum did not make a great showing at the World cup this year, remember?" I remembered mostly the fear and terror as Lady Malfoy quickly led us to a safe place while Lord Malfoy went off to assist the Ministry.

"Jealous, Draco?" I smirked at him.

"Of a _dance routine_? Hardly Cass." He reached out and closed my jaw with one finger. We both laughed.

I tried to be nice to Harry Potter and his friends when I was with Luna once and they stopped to talk to her, but Draco was right they weren't very nice to me. And that is an understatement. I ended up leaving in tears. Luna had called out to them and they stopped, they looked me up and down clearly trying to figure out why I was with Luna. I smiled at them shyly and said "Hello, my name is Cassandra, but my friends call me Cassie."

The red headed boy, Ron, he looked at me like he smelled something bad and said "That is that stupid slutty girl who hangs out with Malfoy."

Luna had looked at him surprised and said "I don't think so, Cassie is very smart. We study together quite often. She is not stupid or slutty." Have I mentioned how much I love Luna? I don't know if she really didn't know he meant me or if she was just reminding him not to be an ass.

Ron had rolled his eyes and said "Anyone who hangs out with Malfoy is stupid and we all know what a Slytherin _girl_ like her who hangs out with _him_ is up to." He sneered at me in a way that made it clear what he was thinking. I couldn't believe he thought that about me! I was only 14! I could feel the tears in the backs of my eyes start to burn.

Harry and the girl Hermione may have looked uncomfortable but they also looked like they believed it.

"I will catch up with you later Luna, I need to go and… be anywhere but here." They would love to see me crying I am sure.

I turned around and left. I could hear Luna tell him "That was surprisingly rude and cruel Ronald Weasley."

When the boy Harry spoke up for the first time "She is a Slytherin Luna, they will turn on you be careful trying to be friendly with one."

The other girl, Hermione Granger, finally spoke up "Don't be nasty Harry we aren't like _them."_

I had never been so humiliated in all of my life. I ran down a corridor and sat on a window seat hugging my knees to my chest and buried my face in my arms. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Pretty soon I felt a hand on my shoulder looking up I saw the concerned face of Justin looking back at me.

"Cassie? What happened?" He sat down next to me.

"It.. it was Ronald Weasley, he said really awful things to me, and then Harry Potter said that Luna shouldn't be my friend bec… because I am Slytherin and we turn against peop…people." I could hardly get the words out through hiccupping through my tears.

Justin put an arm around my shoulders. "What did he say Cass?"

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand "He said I was stupid because I was hanging around with Draco and there was only one reason a girl like me hangs out with Draco."

A very cold voice spoke up just then "Oh? And just what reason would THAT be?"

I looked up into the face of Draco Malfoy and he was not happy. He looked ready to go curse someone within an inch of their lives. "Draco, calm down please and just let it go." I pleaded with him as we went back to the dungeons.

"They insult you, call you names, tell you that you are a slut, make you cry, the only one to stand up for you is bloody Loony Lovegood and then Justin Finch-Fletchley has his hands all over you and you want me to let it go?" Draco looked at me with such anger I thought maybe he was really mad at me. He had never been mad at me for having other friends before. Or really about anything, we hardly ever argued

"Justin? What does Justin have to do with this? He did not have his hands 'all over me' he was being nice because I was upset is all. You… you aren't saying… you think I am…" I stopped ready to start crying again.

He realized that I was upset and stopped taking me by the shoulders. I couldn't meet his eyes. "Cassie look at me." I finally did but I knew I was close to tears again.

"No I do not think you sleep around. I know you aren't that kind of girl. But are you and Justin seeing each other?" Where would he get that idea?

My lower lip trembled in relief, I shook my head no, "Justin is just a friend, I really like him, but he likes another Hufflepuff girl." Why was it so important to me suddenly that Draco knew I wasn't fooling around with Justin?

Draco let out a long breath and pulled me into a hug. He had hugged me plenty of times, but this one felt different. I laid my cheek on his chest. It was nice. "I won't let them get away with this Cassie."

"Let it go, they aren't worth it. I knew that when they first bullied you. They haven't changed my opinion." He laid his cheek on the top of my head.

He said nothing else, just rubbed her back "Feel better?" I just nodded at him.

He wiped away the rest of the tears from my face with his thumbs "Good, go grab your sweater, I am taking you into Hogsmeade for the day."

"You know… for a sleazy Slytherin, you have the best plans!" I could smile and breathe again.

"We always do, love, it is how we trick our foes into becoming friends just before we turn on them." I have no idea how minutes before I could be so upset I was in tears and just a few moments with Draco and I could suddenly smile again.

"Well, don't let that get around, I am pretty sure our stellar reputations would surely suffer and we would no longer be the golden ones." I warned him with mock severity.

"I'm pretty sure that's someone else Cass, we are the snakes who live in the basement and bite people remember?" He raised an imperious lecturing eyebrow at me.

"I bowed low, well then carry on good sir!" We both laughed and went into Hogsmeade determined to ignore the Gryffindingbats.

Later when we got back the whole place was in an uproar. Another uproar. It seemed before the Tournament commenced and names were to be drawn there would be international sports stars coming to show support for the champion hopefuls.

I was very excited because one of the exhibitions was to be Quodpot. After years of hearing me talk about it now my team would get to see it in action! There would be shows and other events before the big game. The Harvard Horntails had come out to play Michigan State. Since Michael was now attending Harvard University for Wizards I was wearing crimson and had my face painted for the occasion. I sang the Harvard fight song and cheered for our team.

The boys seemed very excited by the whole thing, but were confused when one player broke formation and flew right in front of me. He was wearing number 33. When he pulled off his helmet I screamed.

"MICHAEL!" and flung myself straight from my bleacher seat into the air trusting my cousin would catch me like always.


	8. Michael Graves

Michael caught me with an "oomph" and a laugh. We had been practicing my flying air tactics since... I think I was four or five the first time we did that. He pulled up on his broom and sat me in front of him, my arms around his neck and laughing with me.

"You are a LOT bigger than the last time we did that Cass!" He hugged me tight tucking my head under his chin.

I drew back to look at him "Are you calling me fat Michael? Because big time Harvard Quodpot star or not I will knock you right off of that broom!" I poked him in the chest.

"Fat? Oh no, Cassie, you are definitely not fat." He winked down at me making me blush.

I slapped his chest "You are the worst flirt Michael Graves, the very worst!"

We had flown down next to Draco, Blaise and Theo by this time. Draco was looking rather mutinous. I guess I should have warned him before I launched myself in to the air like that. I know how much he worries.

"And you are the worst cousin, Cassandra, you move to a castle I specifically told you that you would freeze to death in and was patrolled by dangerous creatures and I never get to see you anymore!" He made it like a joke, but I knew how much our separation bothered him because it bothered me as well.

"And Merlin but how you lied Michael! This place is not so cold I am going to freeze to death and there was only the one troll that got into the castle and…." Michael looked horrified by this.

"There is a TROLL in the castle!?" He all but shouted at me. No scratch that, he was most certainly shouting.

"Not now, that was back in first year. Didn't your Mom tell you?" I was rather surprised he didn't know.

"She most certainly did not. That is it Cassandra. You need to move back home. Mom would love to have you now that I am out, and all of your younger cousins and friends are…" He was getting more upset by the moment.

"My friends are here, Michael. If I had stayed in America and gone to Ilvermorny things… would have been different. But I didn't and I am not leaving my boys." I motioned to the three behind me who all crossed their arms across their chests.

"Did it ever occur to you I told you all of that stuff so that you would stay home? I didn't want you to move, Cass. I still don't like it." He looked so sad I hugged him around the waist.

"I know, Michael but it wasn't my fault. I never would have left my favorite cousin if I had any choice." I buried my face in his chest. It was so good to have him close.

"You are also the worst at introductions, Cassandra, because your friends do not look pleased to have me wrapped around you, especially that blonde boy." He whispered in to my ear.

"Yeah and you looking like you are whispering sweet nothings to me is NOT helping Michael!" his grin told me he did it on purpose.

"Draco, Blaise, Theo, this is my cousin Michael who I have told you about. He plays on the Harvard Quodpot team, except he never told me that." I glared at him.

"Sorry baby girl, I wanted it to be a surprise. Nice to meet you" he shook hands all around "Cassandra has told me a lot about all of you.

"That was a really stupid stunt." Draco said angrily "You could have got Cassandra injured or killed."

"Don't look at me" Michael held up his hands in surrender "I had no idea she was still going to try that old trick."

"Old trick?! You have done that before?" Draco looked ready to strangle me. In fact I am pretty sure he crossed his arms over his chest to prevent himself from doing just that.

"I'm sorry, Draco, I didn't mean to worry you. I have done that since I was a little girl. Michael always catches me." I stepped forward and put a hand on his arm. I knew he was only angry because I had scared him.

He just glared down at me. But Blaise and Theo were not nearly as worried.

"That was pretty cool how you just caught her like that, man." Said Blaise. "Be a neat trick to teach one of our girlfriends."

I could fee Draco's arm tense under my hand but he said nothing.

"Unless you want to start dating four year olds, I wouldn't recommend it." Michael laughed. "Cass has been pulling that crazy stunt since she accidentally fell out of a tree and I caught her. Good thing I really am as good as she thinks I am."

"I was teaching myself to fly Michael, I didn't fall, I jumped." I had this idea at that age if I could throw myself at the ground and miss I would be able to fly (*)

"I was trying to make you look less crazy Cass." He laughed and bent down to kiss my forehead. "I have to go to practice. Keep her safe for me." He looked at my friends and winked down at me.

"By Michael, see you seen, yeah?" I hated to let him leave.

"You know it babe!" he sauntered off. I noticed half the girls in the stadium were watching him leave while the others were glaring daggers at me. Whatever. If they thought they could get his attention they were welcome to him! We are cousins, or as good as. I am so not dating Michael!

"Well, I guess we know now who has noticed you are a girl." Draco said with more spite than he has ever directed at me. This time I _knew_ it was jealousy.

"Draco… Michael is my cousin… he and I definitely don't notice each other _that_ way." I knew he would never admit he was jealous. I don't even know how he felt about it. Or me for that matter. I doubt he did either.

"I have cousins, Cassandra, I am familiar with the concept. He does not treat you as just a cousin." He shook my hand off of his arm and stalked away. Blaise and Theo looked at me sympathetically.

"It will be OK, Cassie, just give Draco time. He is pretty used to having you all to himself. A sudden university sports star showing up has made him a little defensive." Theo patted my head.

"I know but he doesn't have to be. Michael is my cousin. Draco is my…" I stopped I didn't know how to finish that sentence.

"Well, that is the problem, isn't it Cass?" Blaise observed "Until you two know what you are don't expect him to be thrilled that some new guy seems intent on sweeping you off your feet. Literally."

Draco and I didn't really speak about that incident afterwards and we soon went back to laughing and joking like best friends should, but he did not exactly warm up to Michael. He did not go out of his way to be nasty exactly, and he was certainly capable of it, but he never wanted to go out with me if he knew Michael would be there.

Michael and I went out quite often that week he was there. I usually brought Daphne and Luna with me, as Draco since he was refusing to have anything more to do with him and Blaise and Theo had to stand by Draco. I understood, I just wish we could all be friends.

As Daphne and Michael started hanging out however, she started becoming less shy and withdrawn and he started teasing her more and more. I could tell they were starting to like each other and I was really glad. I love Michael and want him to be happy and I really like Daphne. I just knew they would make a good pair.

I think Isis thought so too because once he met Daphne she quit snubbing him, or worse outright hissing and snapping at him.

"I am so sorry, Michael she is not usually like that Isis, pretty much loves or ignores everyone." He just laughed it off.

Draco walked by at that moment and Isis leapt from my arms to him, startling me. Scooping her out of the air Draco shook a finger at her, which she promptly gripped in both paws "You are getting as bad as your mistress. Stop leaping like that." She curled up around his neck and glared at Michael over her shoulder as Draco walked off with her.

"I think she is letting us know who she prefers." He laughed again. I just shook my head.

One day just before the big game Michael and I decided we wanted to get up a game of Quodpot and some of his friends agreed to play with us. I told Blaise and Theo about it and they agreed to come out and watch.

We set up the pots and grabbed our brooms. It was Michael and I and three more of his friends against five of his other teammates. I was really excited to show off my new skills to Michael. I wore my Quidditch uniform to the field and stretched on my beaters gloves. Michael grinned at me and we kicked off.

The game was pretty exciting but the quod had not exploded yet. We were playing with a practice quod so I wasn't really worried about getting hurt. There is always a chance, it _is_ an explosion, but a pretty mild one.

I finally had my chance with the quod and ducked and dodged around, almost keeping up with the college team. Michael told me once when another teammate had the quod how impressed he was with my skills.

I was almost to the pot when the quod exploded. Darned it! A two minute quod all of the other ones had been almost five minutes. I had got complacent.

I heard someone scream my name, but my ears were ringing a bit and I couldn't tell who. I was fine but covered with a fine layer of stupid crimson paint. "Cute Michael, really funny." I could hear him laughing as I descended to the ground and hopped off my broom.

I was unprepared for suddenly being grabbed and spun around in to the very concerned face of Draco. "Merlin, Cassie, you are covered in blood." He sounded terrified.

"No, wait, look Draco, it is just harmless crimson dye. For Harvard's colors, you know?" I waved my wand towards my face and said 'scourgify' cleaning it all off so he could tell I was OK.

Michael set down next to us and Draco turned on him "Leaping from bleachers, exploding balls, are you trying to get Cassandra killed!?" Michael looked amused and confused at the same time. Draco dragged me back to the dungeons and did not let me move until he had calmed down.

Afterwards he refused to let me meet with Michael on my own no matter what I said. I was OK with that or would have been if he was friendly. It was bad enough that this tournament took away Quidditch. At least with Michael around it was fun!

But after Michael left I was bored again. At least Draco was finally happy with me again. He was so angry over my spending time with Michael. I never could convince him… actually I wasn't sure what I was trying to convince him of. He was my… I don't know, but not my boyfriend.

 _(*) This was the tactic used by Arthur Dent in Douglas Adam's Increasingly Inaccurately Named Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy_


	9. Dueling Club Revival

I felt like I was one of the few people in Hogwarts who actually got to know Madame Hooch outside of Quidditch and flying lessons. There was so much more to this Professor. I really got to like her a great deal.

I met her one day after Michael had left and I had done all of my studying for my tests the next week. No homework, no Quidditch and Draco was off with his two goons.

I did not hate Crabbe and Goyle exactly, but I sure wasn't happy with them. They had started to bully me one day, I suspect Pansy had put them up to it. Draco was gone, he had detention for some dumb reason or another. But when Goyle made the mistake of pushing me, Blaise jumped up and grabbed his arm and I stuck my wand to his groin. "If you try that again, there will be no little Gregorys running around. Ever. Do we understand each other?"

He nodded energetically and that was the end of that. Neither of them ever bother me again. Of course it may have had something to do with the stinging hex Draco tormented them with for the next few days when he heard what happened.

So there I was bored and lonely. I had been wandering around the Quidditch pitch by myself everyone else was either watching the champions practice or off doing goodness knows what. Draco was with Crabbe and Goyle and he had been looking rather mutinous after everything that happened with Michael, even though nothing had happened with Michael. But when Draco gets secretive he scares me sometimes. I am afraid he will get in to a position he can't get out of.

I was worried and so I went to the pitch. I loved to fly. I may not be able to play right now, but I can enjoy the pitch and just being out in the fresh air.

That is when I met Madame Hooch outside of classes. With the Tournament the Professor had not had much to do either.

There was one other thing she was very good at though. The best I had ever seen, not that I had seen many I admit. The woman was also a professional duelist. She knew all of the rules and formalities and had been working very hard with me to improve my form and skill. It gave us something to concentrate on besides our lack of interest in the tournament.

I also learned she had been in the Great War, or as we call it World War I and some muggle airplane had singed her broom. This seemed to personally offend her.

Madame Hooch was quite impressed with the wand that had chosen me. She looked it over carefully and pronounced it a very fine dueling wand. I told her that was just what Mr. Ollivander had said!

She was different when we were studying dueling. I liked her normally, of course, she always insisted we play a clean and fair game, did not tolerate any funny business and kept us safe. Quidditch is dangerous enough without some hot head actually trying to knock you off of your broom!

In flying lessons and Quidditch she was a coach. Very lively and animated and excited about the sport. When we practiced dueling she was far more focused. We talked about how to properly hold my wand, not how to polish my broom. The precise angle at which one must bow to their opponent not fly into the wind, but the dedication was the same.

It was nice. Draco had sneered when I first told him what I was doing, but after attending a few private lessons with her, even he had to admit, the woman he thought of as his flying instructor and referee really did know what she was doing.

A few weeks in I approached Madame Hooch with the idea of restarting the dueling club at school.

"I would be pleased to sponsor your club if you can get the other house heads to agree Miss Taylor. But I will expect absolute dedication from those who sign up. And we must not be selective in who we allow to join. I know there has been a bit of trouble between houses. This will not be allowed as an excuse to take out grudges. And NO SNAKES!"

I agreed and went off to get the heads of the houses on board. No one gave me any real difficulties; they all wanted the same thing. Don't take out grudges; a Professor must always be present for practice, no discrimination. All of which I readily agreed to. Within a week I was ready to put up flyers.

I had gone to tell Draco when I saw he was up a tree with his goons below him I had just decided to wait when I heard him call out to Harry Potter, oh no this was not going to be good. I started running.

"Why so tense Potter? My father and I have a bet, you see. See, I don't think you're going to last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks he you won't last five!" Oh please Draco, don't do this, I just got our dueling club back!

"I don't give a damned what your father thinks! He is vile and you are pathetic!" OK, I didn't much care for Lucius Malfoy the times I had seen him but for Harry to call Draco pathetic? I would not stand for that.

But then Draco pulled his wand "No Draco" I screamed just before Professor Moody showed up, thank Merlin, he would stop things before they got out of hand.

But instead it got worse, Moody turned Draco into a ferret and started flinging him into the air I saw Professor McGonagall not far and ran to grab her. She would put a stop to this! Thankfully she did.

But I was not done with one Harry Potter. I stalked off down the path he had taken.

"POTTER" I shouted and saw him turn around startled. He had just caught up with Granger. "You have your nerve calling ANYONE pathetic "

"Look, I don't have time for…" he started.

I cut him off "For what? Some stupid slut friend of Draco's?"

He had the grace to at least blush at this.

"I never said that…"

"No, you just told one of my friends that I would turn on her. You don't even know me. I don't come from here I wasn't raised with any of this nonsense." I felt pathetic myself when I started to cry.

"I was just trying to…" he started.

Having none of it I cut him off "You just thought it was OK to bully the Slytherin girl who only wanted to stay with the only friends she had made here by going in to their house." He looked thoughtful at this.

"And let me tell _you_ something about YOUR friends that you think are so wonderful. Those redheaded twins knocked me flat on my ass my very first day on the train causing me to squeeze my ferret until she screamed in pain and they didn't even look back. You know who helped me up and taught me about which families are taught manners and which are not? It sure as hell wasn't some Gryffindor. It was the boy you just called pathetic. He was the one who made sure my Isis and I were OK, but I guess that is 'pathetic' in your book?" I hated that I was crying but I wasn't about to stop now.

"No… of course not." He was looking more uncomfortable.

"You know what boys made me feel welcome _without_ knowing my blood status? Draco, Blaise and Theo. You know who mocked Draco's name and family HIS first day? Your good friend Ronald Weasley. But I guess since he has such a wonderful family your friend Ron doesn't care about any one else's, right?" Harry had turned red at this.

"You are right Miss Granger" I said dashing away my tears "you are _nothing_ like us, and we thank Merlin, who by the way _was_ one of us, for that every day! You are horrible bullies and you should be ashamed, but you won't be because Gryffindors are too good and pure to have ever been in the wrong, am I correct? No, it must have been those nasty Slytherin."

She just looked at me shocked. I don't think anyone had ever told them they were the bullies before.

Good she should be shocked by her own behavior. And with that I stormed off.

I could hear Harry behind me "I never thought I would feel bad for how I treated a Slytherin."

Hermione spoke up for the first time "Maybe that's the problem with the whole pureblood vrs muggleborn mess to start with. We have all been seeing Houses and blood status. We should have just been seeing people."

When I turned around I was amazed to see Draco standing behind me. He had gone looking for me when he knew I had gone after Potter and Granger.

"Alright, tiger" he said smiling at me, "come on, let's go." He held out his hand to me and entwined our fingers.

"Ok, Draco" I whispered, not trusting myself to talk any more. I was really embarrassed to be crying in front of any of them, but Potter and Granger didn't count.

He stopped long enough to look down at me and wipe my tears away "Now, now, can't have you going back looking pathetic, can we? We have a reputation as the bad guys to uphold, are you trying to ruin that by showing emotion? For shame Cassandra. What would Salazar Slytherin think of this unseemly behavior?"

I laughed finally taking his handkerchief and wiping my eyes. I had not paid attention to the fact that Granger and Potter were still standing there watching us, seeming somewhat transfixed. What? Had they never seen anyone be nice to each other before?

"You can always make me laugh, Draco." I held on to his hand.

He leaned in and whispered loud enough for the two behind us to hear him "That is just a trick so I can lure you in and turn on you later you silly little witch."

That was it I couldn't hold my laughter in any longer "You Draco Malfoy are the very best at being the very worst."

"And you don't even have to throw yourself from a bleacher in to mid air hoping for me to catch you to get my attention." He said, pulling my arm through his.

I slapped him on the arm before laying my head against his shoulder "Take me home now?"

"You got it love, I think there might even be chocolates somewhere with your name on them." I hugged his arm, giving up his chocolates for me is a declaration of best friends forever.

We walked off completely ignoring the two Gryffindors behind us.

When we got just outside of the entrance to our common room, Draco stopped me. "Those idiots really aren't worth getting worked up over you know? What did they say to you to make you so upset?"

"Nothing to me, just I heard what Potter said about you, calling you pathetic and I may have lost it." He looked at me a long time and then shook his head and kissed me on the forehead.


	10. No Date to the Yule Ball

All anyone could talk about was the stupid Yule Ball. Who was going with whom? What they were going to wear? And the stupid giggling. GIGGLING! And not from just the Hufflepuff girls either. Our very own Slytherin sisters were doing it. It was just nauseating.

Pansy was the worst. She was telling everyone who would sit still that _of course_ she and Draco would be going together, it was only expected, after all their families were old, old friends. Why she wouldn't be surprised if things between them started getting very serious soon.

No one had yet asked me to the Ball. Blaise was going with Daphne, Theo was going with Tracey. So those two were out. I know that Justin was not going with Charlotte, they had just broke up so I guess if nothing else he and I would go together. We talked about it once if neither of us had a date to some function we would go with each other. It worked out really well since we were just friends.

Still, it felt rotten to have no one else ask me. And that Draco had apparently asked Pansy. I had almost thought… but I guess that was just stupid of me. I ruthlessly stomped down any thoughts about me and my best friend.

When Blaise dared ask me who I was going with I threatened to hit him.

"Literally, one more word Zabini and I will punch you in the arm."

"Whoa there, Cass, touchy subject?" He had the gall to grin at me.

"No, stupid subject." And it was. Who cares who any of us go with, we aren't the stars of the show.

"What's the matter, can't dance? I can teach you." He grabbed me and twirled me around the common room.

We had a music player set up in our common room to practice the dance steps we were being taught, but I had lessons from the time I was small. One of my nannies was a classically trained dancer.

"I can dance just fine Blaise." I said proving it by letting him guide me around the room "Even if you people do dance like my grandparents."

"Ouch, rude!" He clutched his chest dramatically making me laugh "I suppose you Yanks do it better?"

I grinned and waved my wand over the music player turning on some salsa player. "Try to keep up Zabini!"

After I showed them a few moves they stopped laughing, salsa is a pretty sexy dance if you do it right.

"Alright Cass, you win, teach me to do that and I will have the ladies eating out of my hands." He grinned waggling his fingers for me to take hold.

I spent the next hour teaching Blaise and then Theo who showed up about half an hour in to my lesson with Blaise how to salsa. We were really having a good time. It felt good to just dance and not think about stupid questions like who was going with whom. And why Draco asked that stuck up bitch to the Ball. Except maybe the stories about her sleeping around. Maybe that was what he wanted afterwards.

Draco walked in leaning against the door. He had an unreadable look on his face. I had not noticed him at first I was too intent on teaching Theo to twirl and dip while moving his hips just so. Suddenly without warning Theo let go of me and I almost fell on my rear end.

"HEY!" I laughed, "I do not remember teaching you _that_ move."

"Umm, just show me from over there." He was being weird, but whatever. Salsa is a dance you can do on your own as well.

They continued following my moves and soon we were exhausted. Draco stood in the door way watching us the whole time.

When we had finished and both boys had learned the steps to my satisfaction we collapsed like a pile of puppies on the floors. Blaise laughing said "OK, you are right, that DOES beat the waltz!"

"Told you!"

"You gonna teach that to Justin?" joked Theo.

"I told you, Justin is just my friend" I said taking Draco's offered hand "but I probably will end up going with him since he and Charlotte broke up."

"Why would you be going with him?" asked Draco frowning.

"No one else has asked me." I said shrugging "Why does it matter who I go with?" I admit I was a little annoyed with him. I thought we had a moment in the corridor. A special moment. Clearly I had been wrong. He had not ignored me since then, quite the opposite, he was still my over protective, over bearing obnoxious best friend, but that was all. And with Pansy quite proudly telling everyone who would listen how he was taking _her_ to the Yule Ball it wasn't really any of his concern. So again, why should it make any difference to him who I went with?

"I guess it doesn't then." Prat had the nerve to look sulky.

"Good because it shouldn't." What nerve he had being jealous now, he had a date. That was his problem.

"Good." He crossed his arms glaring at me.

"Fine!" Stupid boy. And his stupid pretty face.

"Fine!" Now he looked angry. Ass. Face.

I was tired of him and his ass face I stormed off to my room "Have a good time at the Ball with Pansy!"

"I will! Wait…what?!" Screw him. I slammed my door.

A few minutes later I heard a tapping on my door. "Go away!"

"Cass…talk to me." He sounded almost pleading. HAH! Draco, pleading with me? Ridiculous.

"I was talking to you, ass face, now I don't want to."

"Ass…? Cassandra open this damned door. NOW!" There he went with his stupid anger again.

"FINE!" I opened the door "What do you want?!"

"What did you mean when you said "have a nice time with Pansy"?"

"Just that. I will enjoy the Ball with Justin like I planned, and you can enjoy it with Pansy like you planned." I glared at him just like he had glared at me when I told him I was planning to go with Justin.

"Why would you think I planned to go with Pansy?" He seemed actually confused. Ass face.

"ummm… because that is what she has been saying for the last week, as if you didn't know!" I was tired of this conversation again.

"I didn't! I have been STUDYING! You know that thing I do, in the library, to get good grades, something you would know if you ever actually did it!"

"Well, still it IS what she says!" I crossed my arms looking down.

"Well she is wrong!" He was back to shouting. That was always fun.

"Well…so?" Did it really make any difference? So we didn't really have "a moment" so? I would live and he could take whoever he bloody well wanted to the damned Ball. I hope he tripped and ruined his new damned dress robes.

"What do you mean so?" he was quiet again all of a sudden.

"I mean what difference does it make? You have to take someone right?" I was getting irritated with him and I needed a good cry. I had been doing a lot of that lately. I was beginning to really hate puberty.

"I planned to take someone you idiot." He actually looked like I had personally annoyed him, which is absurd!

"Who?" Great, who was the latest girl who now had her claws in my… friend?

"YOU! You irritating witch! I had planned to take you and now you agreed to go with Justin!" he shouted this at me like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You never asked! And besides Justin hasn't even asked me!" If he wanted to go with me this was news to me.

"I didn't think I needed to I just assumed you knew I would want to." he was actually upset that I wasn't a mind reader? Ass face.

He was just infuriating "How would I know that?! I am not a mind reader you… you…"

"Ass face?" he supplied helpfully?

I just glared at him. I did not want to feel better yet I wanted to be angry at him.

"How did you know Justin would want to?" he sounded jealous again, but I had been down that road. We did not have a moment, he was not jealous.

"I just knew. With Justin it's just… different, OK. He is just the back up friend who takes me if no one else does and he broke up with his girlfriend.., and you never asked me." The infuriating prat had the nerve to smirk at me.

"So are you going with me or not?" Wow, be still my beating lunch, how romantic.

"Well, I suppose I have to go with someone and you did ask first." Two could play that game.

Not that I was looking for romance. I mean, right?

I owled my mother to tell her that I would need a dress. I think she was a little sad that I always addressed my letters "Dear Mother" now, but Mommy and Daddy were too childish. Well, at least in public. Except daddy would have none of it and looked so sad when I called him father just once. I never did that again. I guess Mother did not like it either because she now started sending back letters addressed "Dear Daughter." My mother is the queen of passive aggression.

But in any case she said she would personally take me shopping. I was very excited. A real almost grown up Ball with a real gown, not a little girl's princess ball gown, but something sophisticated.

She also mentioned how pleased she was that I would be going with Draco. What difference did it make to her who I went with?

I looked over at Isis "There is something I missing here, isn't there?"

Isis just looked at me as if to say "You didn't need a magic ferret to tell you that."

Was my mother playing matchmaker? I was only fifteen!


	11. Yule Ball

The night of the Yule Ball was amazing. The entire Great Hall was decorated in winter scenes of snow and ice. It looked like something out of a fae induced dream. Yet for all of the ice and snow it was wonderfully warm and comfortable.

But as beautiful as all of that was, it did not compare to the look on Draco's face when he watched me descending the stairs.

Mother had found the perfect emerald green dress. It had long lace sleeves, a deep v neckline showing off my cleavage, I may not be as large as Daphne, but in this, my breasts looked amazing. It was form clinging and made me look like I had a perfect hour glass figure. The Dress maker said there was no magic that it was all me, but I have a hard time believing I look like this. It was almost entirely backless.

I was not going to be allowed ballet flats this time. Oh no, I was in a pair of strappy silver heels but Mother showed me a spell to make them comfortable to walk and dance in.

Daddy nearly had a heart attack when he saw my dress, so that was a good sign it was perfect.

My hair was done up in a high style and Mommy had loaned me a beautiful diamond tiara from her own collection. A simple diamond bracelet and drop diamond pendant necklace completed my look.

When Draco saw me I knew it was perfect. He looked like he had never seen me before. His eyes were all soft and sparkling. I almost looked behind me to see who he was looking at. He had certainly never looked at me that way.

Taking my arm to lead me in to the hall he leaned down to whisper in my ear "You are without a doubt the most beautiful girl here."

I blushed squeezed his arm. "If you are screwing with me" I whispered back "I will hex you so badly your grandchildren will feel it."

Laughing down at me he said "There's my girl."

And winked he at me. My stomach turned over and my heart skipped a beat.

Draco was very attentive all night. The whole evening was perfect. Pansy was in a right snit because Draco refused to so much as speak to her, he was so angry she had almost ruined our night. I decided not to tell him just now that it was his assumption that he did not need to ask me to go with him that almost ruined it.

I mean, it was almost perfect these people still could not dance, it was wither all ball room dancing or bouncing up and down to the music of some group called Weird Sisters. What was weird is there were no women in the band at all!

I did try to liven it up once but Theo and I got told off for salsa dancing, apparently it was considered lewd, a word I was definitely going to have to look up because clearly it meant anything fun and not boring.

As we made our way towards the stage the band was just getting ready to take a break. I was surprised I knew one of the band members. The cellist, or at least I thought I did. His long black hair, his black top hat and that trench coat he was wearing. There couldn't be two of them could there?

I dragged Draco forward towards them. He laughed "Hey, you can't just go up and talk to them, for Merlin's sake! They are the Weird Sisters. They are not going to want anything…"

Ignoring him I looked up as soon as I got close enough and called out "Mert!? Merton Graves is that really you!?" I couldn't believe it, Michael's cousin, and I guess mine by proxy, was in this weird band?

He looked down at me confused for a moment. "Merty it's me, Cassie Taylor, I can't have changed _that_ much!"

"Little Cassandra Taylor!? Hey guys, it is my cousin Cassandra!" awww, he did think of me as his cousin!

Draco looked slightly dumbfounded as Merton hopped off the stage to hug me. "Easy Merty, do you know how long it takes to get my hair like this? My mother would kill you!"

Laughing he hugged me again "Little Cassie. I can't believe it, Aunt Karen told me you had moved to somewhere in Eurpoe, but I figured they would ship you to Beauxbatons, or wait… did they? I forgot those girls are here too."

"No, I go to Hogwarts, this is my date Draco Malfoy." The two shook hands.

"It is so good to see you, I haven't seen you since, when was it? The Ambassador's Ball just before we moved here." I really did like Merton, he was so fun and silly. But the cellist in a wizard rock band?

"How on earth did you end up playing your cello in a rock band, Merty? Isn't your father having fits? His dad was super conservative. And very political.

"Well, lovey, e would be if we weren't so popular." Merton smiled at me.

"Well… popular in Europe…." I grinned.

"You cheeky witch, we are popular in a lot of places." He motioned the rest of his band forward and introduced me around.

"Well, we need to get back to playing Cassie, you enjoy yourself!" he winked at me and waggled his eyebrows.

"You are incorrigible Merton Graves." I laughed.

When we left I could tell that a lot of the other students had stopped to watch me greet their band with hugs and a nice long chat. I shrugged, not really very interesting to me. In America, the Weird Sisters just weren't that popular.

"I cannot believe your cousin is Merton Graves." Theo came up laughing, he had been close enough to hear us chatting I suppose.

"You could have come over, I would have introduced you, it is just Merty." I said smiling fondly back towards the stage where Merty waved at me.

"Merty, she calls Merton Graves 'Merty' it is just too much." I think Theo might have been a bit star struck.

"Alright, Theo, get back to your date and let me get back to mine." Draco said with a frown.

"Rude!" laughed Theo but went back to Tracey who was gesturing wildly towards us.

I rolled my eyes. "I guess they are kind of a big deal here, huh?"

Draco looked down at me and laughed "Yes Cassie, they are 'kind of a big deal'. Come on, let's dance."

The next song was a slow one. Draco pulled my arms around his neck and wrapped his arms around my waist. I rested my head on his chest while we danced.

I could feel his heart beating hard. Had I done that or was it all the dancing? I would like to believe it was me.

It was definitely him making my heart race when he traced circles along my bare back.

When the dance was over we went to grab drinks at the punch bowl and were unfortunate enough to find ourselves close to the Weasley twins.

One of them looked down at me and said "Cassandra Taylor, right?"

Draco pulled his arm around my waist tighter.

"Yes, that's right" I leaned in to Draco, my experiences with Gryffindors and Weasleys in particular had not been pleasant so far and I did not want these two ruining my evening.

"So it turns out" the other said "that we got off on the wrong foot with you."

"It was thoughtless and careless of us not to even notice we knocked you down." It was odd the way they switched back and forth.

"We hope you can forgive us for being so over active when we were younger." The first one who had spoken finished.

Draco snarled. I patted his arm "It is OK, Draco, it isn't like they were the Weasley who accused me of… inappropriate behavior with you."

"You mean he called you a slut." Draco was still glaring at them.

They actually seemed shocked by this, but again, I knew they were just overactive and thoughtless at times, not actually mean.

"Of course I forgive you, all water under the bridge." I smiled and shook the hand they offered.

"And don't worry, we will make certain our youngest brother never bothers you again." I nodded and they went on their way.

"I don't trust them" Draco said "and I don't like the way the one was looking at you."

"Come on let's go get some fresh air." I suggested, wanting to put this behind us.

Draco took me out to the north balcony because the constellation he was named for could be clearly seen. He brought out a pair of binoculars that told the name of the stars in the Draco constellation ending with Thuban, whose name meant Head of the Serpent, which was the northern pole star from 3492 BCE to 1793 BCE when it moved further north than Theta Bootis.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I sighed turning to hand him back his binoculars. He had a look in his eyes I had never seen before. It turned my insides to goo.

"I agree." He whispered. There was something in the way he looked at me that made my heart skip a beat and my pulse race.

He leaned in just slightly towards me. Or maybe I leaned in to him. My head tipped back and his lips brushed mine. It was a feather brush of a touch, so tentative, the pressure so light, I wasn't sure I had felt it at all. Before I knew what I was doing I turned fully towards him leaning in to his chest. I looked in to his eyes. I knew without a doubt I could never just be his friend again. It was all or nothing. I ran my hand along his jaw and rested my thumb over the pulse at the hollow of his throat. He sucked in a breath and pulled back, putting less than a fingers width between us. His eyes uncertain, stumbling, searched mine.

I could feel the blood heating my cheeks. My heart beat his name in to my chest. Just as I was coming back to my senses something changed in his gaze, as though he had fought some war with himself and both won and lost. Then just as soon as my senses returned they were completely swept away again. Because Draco gathered my hair in one hand, and wrapped his other arm around my waist gathering all of me and claimed her lips with such determination and heat my world went up in flames and all I could do was clutch his robes as my only lifeline to reality.


	12. AN 2

The story has now been rewritten and revised. Please if you were already a reader of this story go back and re-read, a great deal has been expanded. For new readers, welcome.

Do not expect to see an update for this story as quickly as my other stories in progress, but it WILL be updated, just maybe give it a week or two.


	13. International Fan day

AO3 is hosting IFD events. One allows you to win prizes for recommending three stories. While of course I would love one of mine to be in there, getting involved is the main thing

International Fan Day Rec.s CLICK HERE

archiveofourownDOTorg/admin_posts/9774?show_comments=true&view_full_work=false#comment_150051888

 **THIS IS FOR ONE SPECIFIC GUEST REVIEWER NOT ALL OR EVEN SOME**

To my critical reviewer, if my work was garbage, how did you find it? And why would you read it? There are hundreds of thousands of fanfictions to read. Sounds like you are a regular reader who just got upset.

There is nothing that I can find in the rules of this site that prohibit self promoting nor Author's Notes, so I am not sure exactly what you are reporting me for. If you would like to PM me the rule you feel I have violated I would be interested in seeing it. The only way this would violate a rule as far as I can see would be if I posted it as a separate entry, not an author's note.

If you want to leave me a review, please do, but log in and use your name. I have found some who do not are merely trolls. Not all, my experience with guest reviewers is largely positive, but those who want to act like children with a temper tantrum will be deleted and ignored. You sadly dear reader fell in to that category.


	14. Home for the Holidays

Draco and I spent that entire week just enjoying each other's presence. We went to Hogsmeade and even tried to sit in this awfully gawdy little tea shoppe Madame Pudifoots. It was good food but I just could not stand the froo-froo nature of the place. We ended up going to the Three Broomsticks instead.

When we entered the Weasley twins approached me once again. This was getting to be a habit for them. I could tell Draco did not like it, he kept swearing one of them was giving me the once over. Besides the one time one of them winked at me at the World Cup I had no idea what he was talking about!

It surprised me even more when they dragged their little brother Ron out from behind them. "Apologize." One said with a glare. I had never seen either of them angry before.

"I am sorry I suggested you were being inappropriate with Malfoy. Please forgive me." He was glaring at his shoes. Whether because he was embarrassed or because he was being forced or a combination of the two I didn't know.

But I was determined to show them that Slytherin was the better house. "I accept your apology, Ronald. I doubt we will ever be friends, but I don't want to be your enemy either. As I told your friends, I did not grow up with all of this animosity between houses and ancestors." I squeezed Draco's hand. "I just wanted to stay with my friends."

"BOYFRIEND." Draco made a point of clarifying.

I blushed "And yes, of course, now my boyfriend. I hope you can respect and appreciate that."

"Yeah… I get that." He said finally looking in to my eyes. "I am sorry Harry said you would turn on your friends. If you would even join Sly.." one of the twins shoved him in the back "I mean choose your house without knowing anything about the history of Hogwarts to go on, you must be pretty loyal."

"I am. Well, mostly, I don't like _everyone_ in my house." I glared over at Pansy who was glaring right back.

Ron laughed "You're all right, Taylor."

"You too, Weasley." I laughed.

"But you have crappy taste in guys." It was almost like he couldn't help it.

I shook my head. "Boys." I dragged Draco away before he could make an issue out of it.

At the time I genuinely believed that it was a matter of house rivalry and silly macho boy stuff. I was soon going to realize how very wrong I was.

That weekend I was all packed to go home for Christmas. I hated that just after Draco and I got together we would be separated even for a weekend. But I also wanted to see my parents. I wish I could have both, but it was not realistic. Draco helped me pack and even used his own wand to levitate my trunk upstairs. Blaise and Theo were on hand to make sure I had everything I needed.

Lydia and Daphne were going to be at their own family gatherings so we made plans to meet up in Diagon Alley on Christmas Eve.

Draco was planning to stay at Hogwarts. I hated to be suspicious, but sometimes he got so secretive that I couldn't help it. "Draco… You will try to be good while I am gone won't you?" I wasn't sure what I wanted from him.

"Cassandra Taylor, are you asking me not to cheat on you? That is pretty insulting you know." He had a tiny frown line between his eyebrows.

I was surprised "NO! I know you aren't like that! It is just… I don't know… sometimes you get very…" I did not want to come right out and tell him he was a sneaky Slytherin bad boy, partly because I knew damned well he would enjoy it but… "just promise whatever you are doing you will be careful?"

He looked at me for a long time. "I am always careful, Cassie, but I promise to be extra careful for you."

With that he took me to the school's travel office where I would be flooing out. My parents finally trusted me to travel alone. Not that there was much danger of getting in to trouble between the school and home along the floo network, but still, it felt like a sign of really growing up.

With a final kiss, we said good bye and in a few moments I was stepping through our own fireplace at home.

My parents were still at work, which I expected. They had owled me before I left to tell me that they would be home in time for dinner, and that if I had been assigned any homework I needed to get started on it and not put it off and blah blah blah.

Actually... I guess this time they were right I had two feet of an essay to finish for charms class. Draco positively refused to help me write it and only grudgingly agreed to look it over when I am done. He really wants me to go to the library and actually study.

To be perfectly honest? I am not really certain I could find the place on my own.

I sat down to at my desk and realized I had no ink, no parchment… no desire. Still, I would not put it past my mother to actually owl the school about my homework so I went in to Daddy's study to grab some.

While in there I could not help staring at the little closet door. I know that back home in the States in daddy's study a weird mask hung. I thought I had seen that same mask worn by someone who was helping to torture no-maj.

I told myself I was only opening the door to prove that I was wrong. That there was no way that my father's mask was out on a night that had frightened so many. Including me.

That there was no way my father had helped unleash fear and chaos and danger at an event I had attended.

And there was no way at all he had done all of that and never even checked that I was OK. That I wasn't harmed in any way.

I know how self centered that sounds, people were actually hurt and those poor no-maj would never be the same again.

But what could I say? Even if that mask was not in there. Even if my father was a saint who would never harm anyone… why hadn't he come to check on me? He had barely come in to the Minister's box at all. And once the Minister left, so did he and Lord Malfoy.

At the time, I had just assumed that they had wanted to pop off for a drink and cigars, since he knows Mother does not approve of his smoking.

Now… well, now it just seemed suspicious.

And I was just stalling by replaying everything in my mind.

I paused with my hand on the door knob. Did I even really want to know what was inside that door? No I did not and yet…

Finally making up my mind I yanked the door open.

Other than my father's robes, coats and hats and rubber boots there was nothing inside. No terrifying mask. No "I hate No-Naj" buttons, or whatever other horror I thought I would find inside.

I laughed in relief and went back to my room to work on my essay. I had to write two feet on the Banishing charm.

As the hours ticked by I read over what I had written.

I crumpled it up and tossed it against the wall. It was pure and utter trash.

"Hey!" I heard my father's laughter "I know you have missed us, but pelting me with parchment seems a little extreme!"

I had not even notice my father open the door until he spoke. I jumped up and ran into his arms. I was so happy to see him and I felt so guilty about accusing even in my own mind of being one of those Death eaters.

"I guess you really did miss us." He laughed again hugging me tighter. "Let's go down stairs and see your mother."

I skipped down the stairs ahead of him chatting about everything and nothing. When we got to the kitchen where my mother was I grabbed her in a hug making her hold her wand higher. She had been using it to chop vegetables. She really loves to cook.

"Hello to you as well, sweetheart." She laughed.

"Hello Mom! I am so happy to be home!" My parents smiled at each other over my head.

"And I am glad you consider this home." She patted my shoulder and went back to chopping. I helped and soon we were sitting down eating.

"How is school? How is Draco?" I wish sometimes she would ask about my other friends. But I guess it is only natural. Draco IS my boyfriend, something she had made it very clear she was pleased about when I owled her.

"Both are great… well, Draco, is great…" I remembered my unfinished essay upstairs.

"Uh oh, what's wrong?" She smiled at me.

"It is just this stupid essay I have to do on the Banishing Charm and I have nothing! I mean you cast the spell and stuff gets shoved away." I put my head on my hand in defeat.

"Christopher, didn't you have an ancestor who excelled at using the Banishing Charm to keep the leaves from piling up in his yard?" Mum looked at Daddy. He was busy writing an owl and just nodded distractedly.

"Go up in to the attic honey, there are some old journals up there that will help you." Mom shooed me from the room while she cleaned up. "With some effort you can finish that essay tonight."

She was right, of course. I went to the attic and started prowling around. She labeled everything so it would not be hard to find.

In fact I found it in just a few moments, but my eyes fell on an unlabeled box. That was… unusual. I opened it and sitting on top was the mask I had been afraid to find.

I heard my father calling me "Sweetheart, come down, those boxes are not stable."

When I came down he asked "did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes Daddy." I held up the book.

"You didn't disturb anything else did you? Those boxes need to be sorted better." Nope, the only thing I disturbed was me.

"No Daddy, nothing else." I forced a smile.

Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice.

.


End file.
